TRENTON, NJ – Senators Anthony M. Bucco and Michael Testa have voiced their concerns regarding the State Board of Education’s focus on advancing identity politics rather than building stronger relationships between parents and teachers.
The senators expressed their belief that decisions made by the board, such as the recent vote to remove “equality” from the “Managing for Equality and Equity in Education” Chapter of New Jersey’s Administrative Code, have the potential to drive a wedge between parents, teachers, and school administrators.
According to Senator Bucco, the State Board’s emphasis on progressive identity politics is taking attention away from essential subjects like reading, writing, and math, when students face learning loss due to the pandemic. He argues that parents have the right to be involved in decisions affecting their children’s education and that government bureaucrats should not substitute for parents in these matters.
The controversial proposal, which was narrowly approved by the State Board of Education, aimed to remove gendered nouns and pronouns and references to “equality” from the education chapter.
The board’s decision led to visible and audible upset from the audience, indicating the importance of allowing more stakeholder input on such significant changes.
The approved amendments also prevent schools from separating students based on biological sex for certain classes or sports, and instead, allow teams to be separated based on gender identities. Senator Testa, who sponsors the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” (S-589), expressed concerns that this could undermine the protections of Title IX for girls participating in women’s sports.
The “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” is designed to protect biological girls in women’s sports, ensuring they have a fair playing field. Senator Testa urged his colleagues in the Legislature to support the act to safeguard women’s sports and preserve Title IX’s intended protections.